Highlights
- Portals of the Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand opened on Sunday for pilgrims
- The shrine is one of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as 'Char Dham'
- Earlier this month, the state government capped the number of pilgrims visiting the Char Dhams
Badrinath Dham: Portals of the Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand opened on Sunday for pilgrims. The doors opened for devotees with customary rituals and chanting of mantras amid the tunes of army band with a large number of devotees present in Badrinath Dham. The temple has been decorated with flowers and lights.
Located in Garhwal hill tracks in Chamoli district along the banks of Alaknanda River, Badrinath Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The shrine is one of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as 'Char Dham' which also include Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath. It is situated in the town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand. It is open for six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November).
Kedarnath Temple opened its doors for pilgrims on Friday morning. The annual Chardham Yatra began on May 3 on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya with the opening of the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples in the Uttarkashi district.
Earlier this month, the state government capped the number of pilgrims visiting the Char Dhams. A total of 15,000 pilgrims will be allowed daily at Badrinath, 12,000 at Kedarnath, 7,000 at Gangotri and 4,000 at Yamunotri. This arrangement has been made for 45 days. This year, it is not mandatory for pilgrims to carry a negative COVID-19 test report or vaccination certificate. Char Dhams draw lakhs of tourists and devotees every year from across the country and abroad.
Also Read | Thousands witness opening of Kedarnath doors: Check daily limit for pilgrims, other Covid rules
